


To Victory We March

by benzycantwrite



Category: Original Work
Genre: Chen'zu Retle, Etrix Taylor, How Do I Tag, Kayel Davis, Nadira Davis, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-06-29 16:32:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15733239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/benzycantwrite/pseuds/benzycantwrite
Summary: Nadira and her brother, Kayel, have only known sadness. With their parents gone and the Barrier keeping them from the rest of the world, they are blind. Nadira wants nothing but to keep her brother safe, but she is flung into a whole new world when her brother wants to take on the alien government...alone.





	1. Nadira

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! I began writing this about a year ago and it's still a WIP, but I hope you enjoy!

I remember the date.  
I remember how my mother’s face twisted into one of anger and shock and fear. I remember how my father’s arms twitched and his hands gripped the arms of the electric chair as he tried to bite back the screams of pain. The chairs were much stronger than the ones they used ages ago. Enough to fry three people. I remember how strong they both tried to be. That was eleven years ago. Even to this day, I remember how they lay there, limp, after the electricity fried them like pigs. Their bodies were horrifying. You couldn’t even tell who they were after the Blisyus had them executed.  
Kayel had only been eight when he witnessed it. I’m not sure he even knew what he was watching. The television flickered in and out, but it was still very visible. The sounds were just as horrible as the sight. The hissing and sizzling as their skin caught fire. The humming of the vibrations that were caused by the force of the electricity. The silence of the crowd after the execution was over. The silence was the worst of it. I remember breaking down and sobbing uncontrollably. Ten-year-old Nadira was terrified and alone.  
Kayel had always been the mature one of the family despite him being so young. He was always the one to comfort me in my times of need. He’s nineteen years old now. I, being twenty-one, am supposed to be the one to protect my brother. That doesn’t seem to be the case. He is the protector. I’m more of a hunter. He always guarded the shack we called a house while I was out shooting game and finding food. That’s not to say that I can’t fight. I’ve fought my way through many things before. He just excels in it. He is fantastic with a dagger. I always say that he could hit a fly from a mile away with a butter knife, and he just laughs. He is my other half. I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to him.  
I now stand in the middle of the Square. Everyone, no matter who they are, finds the Square to be a necessity. It’s full of trade markets and shops and even a few restaurants. However, the restaurants aren't exactly as classy as you’d expect them to be. Nothing like the ones people had 150 years ago. The buildings had been transformed from large houses, which meant that they still had bedrooms in them. The owners of these restaurants get to sleep in a decent bed while the rest of us are forced to sleep on the ground and only those most fortunate have sleeping bags. Neither is a desirable option.  
The wind, despite it being summer, is cold. Wet mud from the bottom of people’s boots still litters the concrete where grass peeks out from between the cracks. It’s pretty empty for a morning like this. Usually, when it gets cold like this, people leave their homes to get what they need from the Square before it gets any worse. When I think of the cold, I am reminded of how cold Kayel must get when he leaves the village to explore the woods beyond the Barrier.  
The Barrier contains every village we are allowed to access. Then, for extra containment, every village in the Barrier is surrounded by a wall. They say it is to keep out any danger. Bears used to litter the forests, but the Blisyus handled most of them. There are probably only a hundred outside the Barrier. That can’t be the reason. Strays who have left human society wander outside the Barrier in the wilderness, waiting for fresh meat. They aren't normal people. They feast on raw meat as well as humans. That may be the reason, but there are only a few Strays. Surely the Blisyus understand that. Kayel leaving the Barrier should worry me, but it doesn’t. He can handle himself. The Strays are nothing compared to him. They fight with fists. He fights with silver.  
A couple miles away from our village is another one. It is wealthier than ours, more cozy. The run-down mansion in the middle of the village might as well be a gathering place for the crazy ones. It’s supposedly haunted, but I don’t believe the stories. They’re just stories made to scare us. The Blisyus are good at that. The fake news they’ve spread over the years has caused panic to surge through everyone like a flood. They must find it hilarious. Stupid aliens. Of course they’d choose us poor, defenseless humans to pick on.  
In the opposite direction, there is a farm. It’s abundance of animals is enough to keep our small society running. Beef is sent to the Square to be traded along with pork and horse meat. Rat meat is seen occasionally, but no one goes for that first. It tastes like heaven to me, but it comes with the risk of carrying disease. Many have died from diseases brought by rat meat. Protesters even tried to ban the trading of rat meat awhile back, but they were all taken down by the Blisyus.  
The aliens came into our Square, guns at the ready, and threatened to shoot each and every one of them if they didn’t cease their protests. Either the protesters didn’t care or didn’t hear them over the roar of themselves, but they were all shot anyway. All of them. Each body was dragged to the graveyard at the very edge of the village. Now, no one goes there. Not even me. Ghosts don’t scare me, but the thought of dead bodies scares me much more than anything else does. It could be that it holds the bodies of my dead parents. I don’t know.  
Opposite our small town is another. Nothing too special about it. It’s very similar to our own, the only difference being that our village relies on hunting more than fishing. Beyond that is the trail that leads directly to the Central House. The Central House is where many of the Blisyus live. Spread out across the New States are smaller Houses. They hold power as well, but all of them rely on the Central House. Without the Central House, they are nothing.  
The alien government took over about 100 years ago and ever since then they have made different laws for our community. The main one? No disobeying or plotting against the Central House. They act like they’re all high and mighty, but really it’s just some aliens in the council of stupid. Nothing special.  
As I wander the streets of the Square, I stumble across a young boy with his little sister. The boy looked around seven while the girl couldn’t have been any older than three years of age. Their eyes were full of sorrow. Had they suffered the same fate me and Kayel did? Had their parents been executed on live television as well? It wasn’t uncommon. In fact, it was a frequent occurrence.  
Those who were accused of planning to overthrow the Empire were killed publicly. My parents never once thought of doing such a thing, yet they were accused by everyone around them. In fact, they were all for the rule of the Blisyus. They truly believed that they were helping us. I called bull on them every time. Every time another person was publicly executed, I would say I told them so. They’d just shake their heads and say it was all for good reason. I wonder what they were thinking when they were up there in the center of the stadium, strapped to those chairs.  
I watch as the siblings pass me. The boy holds his sister’s hand tightly and hurries on. Maybe they had somewhere to be. Shaking my head, I stop at a trading stall near the front of the Square. The fish there is cooked well. All fish from the nearby village was fantastic according to some. I made a mental note to try and come back to the stall later. Kayel would love some fish. It’s his favorite food after all. Fish may suit some people, but I can’t stand it. I hate the very smell of raw fish. Cooked fish is fine, but the taste is repulsive. My parents would always get it for Kayel and I. He’d eat it like crazy. I’d eat it only because we had nothing else to eat. I guess I just got sick of eating the same thing over and over again. It got to where I would refuse to even touch it. I went out on my own to find squirrels or rabbits. Just small things to eat.  
As I continue on, the sky seems to grow darker. A few drops of rain fall and hit the ground silently. Of course it has to rain while I'm outside. I go to turn around and head back to our hut when I hear it. The execution siren.  
“Attention,” A high-pitched female voice calls out between the sounds of the siren, “Execution A-48 is in order. I repeat, Execution A-48 is in order.”  
I've never hated a sound more in my life. The shrillness of the alarm hits my ears like a train, and I cover them with my trembling hands. The Stadium is just beyond the Square. I don't know why, but my first instinct is to head there immediately. I want to punch myself for even thinking of watching another execution. The one I witnessed six years prior was enough. But, for some reason, I find myself running towards the Stadium, feet pounding harshly against the concrete. The rain begins to fall harder and I can feel my hair begin to stick to my neck. Dusty brown locks drenched in a mixture of rain and sweat are finally pried from my skin as I arrive at the glass wall of the Stadium. I place my hands on the glass wall and peer inside. A Blisyan is dragging a man and woman to two of the four chair in the center. Behind them, a second alien is dragging two teenage boys, one of their wrists in each hand. The woman is screaming and crying, trying to rip her wrist away from the hand that holds her. The man has his head hung low as if accepting what was to come. He doesn’t scream or try to pry his wrist away at all.  
One of the young boys escapes the iron grip binding him, and he tries to follow his mother’s cries to run. But as soon as he turns, he collapses. A bullet is lodged in the back of his skull and an alien puts his gun back into his pocket, ignoring the wails of agony from the woman. The second one yanks the remaining teenager to the third chair as the other begins strapping in the man and woman. One of the aliens (I’ve lost track of which one is which) raises the remote to the electric chairs, smiles, and presses a button.  
The reaction is immediate. All three bodies shake wildly in their death seats as electricity surges through their bodies. I can’t look away. They scream and they cry and they plead for it to stop. Then, all at once, it does. The sounds that once echoed inside the glass is replaced by sickening silence. I can feel my stomach turn. I fight back the feeling and finally pry my eyes away. My body feels heavy yet empty, like I was the one in those chairs. A part of me wishes it was me and not them. That poor family. Were they falsely accused as well? Were they torn from their home like my parents?  
I don’t dwell long. My thoughts are interrupted by a hand on my shoulder. Instinctively, I turn and grab the hand. It’s Kayel, his blue eyes downcast and sad. Did he see what happened too? I lower his little hand.  
“Kayel. Are you okay?” I ask. It’s the first sentence I’ve said all day. “Where were you?”  
“I was outside the Barrier. I didn’t find anything new…” Was that what he was upset about? Silence, then, “Why did they shoot that boy?”  
“Because the Blisyus are cruel. They don’t care for human life in the slightest.” Despite the way my voice cracks and wavers, I force a smile as I ruffle his light blonde hair. “Don’t worry, buddy.”  
“‘Don’t worry’?” He repeats, eyes wide and afraid. “Nadira, these things are monsters!” I reach a hand out to silence him, but he shoves my hand away. He’s clearly upset, but he needs to be quiet. If someone heard him… “They’re crazy! They took our parents, sis!” He’s crying now, violently so, and I yank him into a tight hug. I know his pain. They were my parents, too.  
“I know, shh, I know.” Kayel sobs into my shoulder, ignoring the strange looks from people around us. He never cared, and he still doesn’t. What people think of him doesn’t matter. Sometimes, I wish I had that carefree attitude.  
“It isn’t fair.”  
I bite back a snarky ‘life isn’t fair’ remark. It isn’t the time. I don’t know what to say other than that, so I stay quiet, settling instead for rubbing circles into his back.  
Finally, he pushes his body away from mine and wipes his wet eyes. I notice now that he has bags under his eyes. Has he not been sleeping? I don’t blame him. We are safe inside the Barrier, but there is always the risk of break-ins, murderers, cultists, and various other things I can’t even remember. You are safe in the Barrier, the Blisyus insist. We promise.  
I don’t want to be safe. I want to be free.  
“Come on, kiddo.” I say it like I’m much older than him. I feel like it sometimes. “Let’s go home.”  
He puffs out his cheeks in a silent protest, but he takes my hand anyway. His hand is cold compared to my warm one, but that’s how it’s always been. Hot and cold. Left and right. Half and half. Together, we make a whole.


	2. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i am incapable of writing too much at a time + i had half of this written out a year ago smh

As Kayel throws the door to our home open, I follow shortly behind him. I don’t close the door, though. It’s hot inside. Scorching, even. Why was it so warm? My attention is pulled away from the unbearable heat when Kayel places a dagger in my hands. It’s his favorite one. It’s covered in dried blood, yet it’s still beautiful. My brows scrunch together in confusion.  
“Why are you giving this to me?”  
“I’m not giving it to you,” he replies simply as he scurries around the stone building. He’s grabbing clothes, food, and more daggers. What is he planning? Instead of voicing my concern, I stand in place. I turn the dagger around in my hand and act like I understand what he’s doing. I don’t have to pretend for long. He can tell when I’m confused. “We’re going to the Central House.” My jaw drops. Is he crazy? No, actually, he isn’t. He’s just stupid. He pushes past me to close the door and smiles a toothy, nerdy grin. “I know. It’s a great plan. You’re shocked, yeah?”  
“Kayel,” I start slowly, doing my best to gather the appropriate words. They don’t come. Instead, the only thing that comes out is: “You’re an idiot.”  
“A smart idiot!”  
“That...literally makes no sense.” I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. “Listen. I don’t know what you’re planning, but no. I don’t care what it is. We aren’t going to the Central House.” He pouts, and I roll my eyes. “No, Kayel.”  
“Nadira. You miss Mom and Dad as much as I do. I know you do. So why don’t we do something about it?”  
“How is going to the House going to bring back our parents?”  
I see him swallow and pick at a pimple on his chin. “It won’t, but we can make sure that no one else has to suffer.”  
I feel my eyes narrow at my brother. Does he not realize that we are just two people? We wouldn’t be able to make it to the House. Even if we did, we wouldn’t be able to make it past the Imperials. They take their job as House Security incredibly seriously. If anyone is spotted from a distance, they are shot. End of story.  
“No. We’ve lived this long without causing trouble, and we will keep it that way.”  
“Nadira…” He’s pouting again. I look away and close my eyes. He can’t affect me if I don’t look at him. “Mom and Dad would have wanted this. They would have wanted us to avenge them.”  
“No! They would have wanted us safe! They convinced the Blisyan soldiers that came for all of us to only take them. Do you just want to throw that away?”  
He flinches at my words and looks down. He’s thinking. Worry is not an expression I see on his face often, and I understand why. The expression doesn’t last long at all. It is quickly replaced with one I can’t quite describe. He looks angry, confident, and scared all at once. Then, he speaks.  
“If you won’t come with me, I’ll go alone.”  
His words, stupid as they may be, stick with me as he shoves past me. They stick with me as he slams the door behind him. They stick with me as I sit on the ground, my DIY bed, for hours before I go looking for him. How much of a moron does one have to be to let their little brother leave with nothing but his backpack? On a scale of one to Nadira Davis, I’d say I’m Nadira Davis.  
It’s four in the afternoon when I actually get up and stretch my legs. I pop my neck, cracks echoing from my stiff bones. It is another hour as I pace around the large, one-room house. It’s cold now. Definitely a change from earlier when it was scorching. Cold and lonely.  
I sigh in the almost empty room. It is quiet, and I don’t like it. I consider returning to the Square. Kayel has to be there. He wouldn’t actually go to the House alone. Right? I laugh at the silly idea. He doesn’t even know the way there. He knows it’s past the Wall, but besides that? He has no idea. Still, if he actually decided to find his way there...Oh God. He would die, no doubt about it. I know my brother. He doesn’t fear death. He fears not being remembered after death. Oh., he’d be remembered. Remembered as the single fool who tried to take on the Blisyan House all on his own. I have to stop him.  
I gather up the main items I need in my own filthy black backpack. It’s nothing flashy; It’s all one color with tiny flecks of gray paint from when Kayel and I painted stones for the Square’s Festival. I shove in food, bottles of water, books (Stephen King was an amazing author, you know) and the dagger he left with me. Did he know I’d stay behind only to go looking for him later? He’s a smart kid. Of course he knew. He knew I couldn't be defenseless when I went for him.  
When that’s all set, I change into something less noticeable. Forest green t-shirt with gray sweatpants. Nothing fancy. Finally. Finally, I can search for my brother.  
Kayel had to go outside the Barrier. But why? If it were me, I’d start small, with our State House. Indiana is a small state, so it would have been easier to tackle a State House first. He had to know that. He had to know that is where I would head.  
I check my bag once. Twice. I have everything I need. I use the trick my mother always used to tell me to use when I was scared. Breathe in for four seconds and out for six. I keep that in my mind as I storm out of the house, luggage thumping against my back as I run through the trees and brush. The wild plants are gorgeous, but they are brown in color. According to father, they used to be a bright, luscious green. I can’t even begin to fathom how he knew for a fact that every plant used to be green, but I can’t help but to close my eyes and imagine a deep forest, filled to the brim with colorful greens of every kind. I can see birds and squirrels and mice. There is a man up in a tree, and he is…  
Wait. I stop running and open my eyes to look up into a dead tree.  
“Etrix?”  
He smirks down at me, brown eyes glinting with mischief. I take a closer look and see that he’s holding something behind his back. With a snicker, he throws whatever is in his hand at me, and I turn so my backpack takes the hit and not my face.  
“What the hell was that for?” I ask  
“I said I was going to test your reflexes, did I not?” I must make a face because he sticks his tongue out at me and rolls his eyes. “Don’t fear, my friend. I’ll make a warrior out of you yet. Now, turn around.” He swoops from the tree limb, swinging down into a roll before popping right back up into a standing position. I can only wish I had that insane amount of agility and control. He does a spinning motion with his finger, and I turn away from him. Nimble fingers pull the object off of my backpack (a dagger; of course!) and he turns me so I face him again. Calloused hands turn the blade over and over, then he slips it into his sweatshirt pocket.  
Etrix finally breaks the comfortable silence with: “Where is Kayel?”  
I frown. “I don’t know.”  
“What do you mean you don’t know?”  
“I don’t know. Pretty sure it’s a common sense phrase. I haven’t seen him since he left the house.”  
“Drop the sarcasm,” he scolds as a hand raises to sweep his dark hair out of his face. “Where did he say he was going?”  
I panic. I can’t tell him where Kayel went without causing him to worry. There are only two correct answers to his question: outside the Barrier, or to the Square. I know what will happen if I tell the truth.  
And yet I do it anyway. I trust Etrix. He's been a ‘family’ friend since before Kayel was even born, after all.  
“He said he was going to the Central House.” Etrix stares at me like I'm nuts. “I'm serious, Trixie. We have to find him.”  
His eyes close and he shifts his weight onto his right leg, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. He can't believe it either. I can tell he's just as scared as I am. Kayel can handle Strays, bears, even Hell itself, but the Central House? There's no way.  
He begins to pace, but he still hasn't responded. I sigh rather dramatically and he looks at me like he's angry. He's furious. I haven't seen him this angry since my parents died.  
“Etrix?” I have to tread carefully. Every word is a bomb. Whether it goes off or not depends on my next risky statement. “I'm going to find him-”  
“‘Find him’? What, are you going to bring your parents back, too? If he's gone to the Central House, you won't find him. I love Kayel just as much as you do, but I doubt he'll be coming back. I suppose it's been awhile since he left? The chances of finding him alive are lower than winning the Square lottery.”  
I'm stunned. How could he say that? I dig my feet into the dirt and squeeze my hands into fists. I want to hit him. I want to punch him so bad, but I don't.  
“Then I guess we need to start moving,” I force out through gritted teeth. “If he's alive, we can't just give up until he does die. You are not a quitter. I should know; I've seen you flirt.” I jab him in the chest with a blunt fingernail. “Or do you want me to go alone and risk losing both of us?”  
He stares again, blinks, then sighs. I can immediately see that he’s caved in. “Fine. But I'm not dragging your bodies back.”  
“Hopefully,” I begin with a smile, “you won't have to.”


End file.
